Every lodge has a sponsoring “Grand Lodge”, which is the authority which issues the “charter” for the individual lodge to operate. If the Grand Lodge is in “communications” with the Mother Grand Lodge in England, which is the supreme ruling authority for all “regular” Grand Lodges, then the lodge is “regular”.

If the lodge is chartered by a Grand Lodge, which is not in communications with the Mother Grand Lodge, then the lodge is “irregular”.

Any group can get together, and call them selves “Masonic”. In France, there are five (5) Grand Lodges, and only one of them, is in communications with the Mother Grand Lodge. There are Grand Lodges in the USA, which admit women, and atheists, and none of these are “regular”, they all operate on their own.

So to answer your question: To determine if a lodge is regular, all you have to do , is contact their Grand Lodge, and inquire if they are in communications with the Mother Grand Lodge in England. For example, the Grand Lodge of Texas, is in Waco. If you are unsure about a particular Texas lodge, then the Grand Lodge office in Waco, will advise you .

Every lodge has a sponsoring “Grand Lodge”, which is the authority which issues the “charter” for the individual lodge to operate. If the Grand Lodge is in “communications” with the Mother Grand Lodge in England, which is the supreme ruling authority for all “regular” Grand Lodges, then the lodge is “regular”.

If the lodge is chartered by a Grand Lodge, which is not in communications with the Mother Grand Lodge, then the lodge is “irregular”.

Any group can get together, and call them selves “Masonic”. In France, there are five (5) Grand Lodges, and only one of them, is in communications with the Mother Grand Lodge. There are Grand Lodges in the USA, which admit women, and atheists, and none of these are “regular”, they all operate on their own.

So to answer your question: To determine if a lodge is regular, all you have to do , is contact their Grand Lodge, and inquire if they are in communications with the Mother Grand Lodge in England. For example, the Grand Lodge of Texas, is in Waco. If you are unsure about a particular Texas lodge, then the Grand Lodge office in Waco, will advise you .

I see but you know what the problem is? in England there is 3 grand lodges 1.united grand lodge of England(ugle) 2.Regular grand lodge of England(RGLE) and 3.The grand lodge of all England at york, and neither one admit women nor atheists, and all three do not recognize each other! each one of them call the other irregular but none give a specific reason for me it is important to join a lodge that believe in the existence of a supreme being and the three i am talking about believe in the existence of a supreme being does that make all 3 of them accepted and regular masons?

The earlier answer is misleading! No regular Lodge has to be recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England in order to be regular, it just has to act in accordance with original Masonry. However, if a Grand Lodge asks the UGLE to recognise it that Grand Lodge must meet the requirements that the 3 British Grand Lodges have agreed amongst themselves as to what they consider makes a Grand Lodge regular. These are:

1. Regularity of origin; i.e. each Grand Lodge shall have been
established lawfully by a duly recognized Grand Lodge or by three
or more regularly constituted Lodges.
2. That a belief in the G.A.O.T.U. and His revealed will shall be an
essential qualification for membership.
3. That all Initiates shall take their Obligation on or in full view of
the open Volume of the Sacred Law, by which is meant the
revelation from above which is binding on the conscience of the
particular individual who is being initiated.
4. That the membership of the Grand Lodge and individual Lodges
shall be composed exclusively of men; and that each Grand Lodge shall have no Masonic intercourse of any kind with mixed Lodges
or bodies which admit women to membership.
5. That the Grand Lodge shall have sovereign jurisdiction over the
Lodges under its control; i.e. that it shall be a responsible,
independent, self-governing organization, with sole and undisputed
authority over the Craft or Symbolic Degrees (Entered Apprentice,
Fellow Craft, and Master Mason) within its Jurisdiction; and shall
not in any way be subject to, or divide such authority with, a
Supreme Council or other Power claiming any control or
supervision over those degrees.
6. That the three Great Lights of Freemasonry (namely, the Volume
of the Sacred Law, the Square, and the Compasses) shall always be
exhibited when the Grand Lodge or its subordinate Lodges are at
work, the chief of these being the Volume of the Sacred Law.
7. That the discussion of religion and politics within the Lodge
shall be strictly prohibited.
8. That the principles of the Antient Landmarks, customs, and
usages of the Craft shall be strictly observed.

You have been mislead about Grand Lodges in England too. The United Grand Lodge of England has a documented history going back to 1717 when it first started, the RGLE and GL0AE both only consist of a few men with internet skills and have documented histories going back to 2005 when they were first started.

The earlier answer is misleading! No regular Lodge has to be recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England in order to be regular, it just has to act in accordance with original Masonry. However, if a Grand Lodge asks the UGLE to recognise it that Grand Lodge must meet the requirements that the 3 British Grand Lodges have agreed amongst themselves as to what they consider makes a Grand Lodge regular. These are:

1. Regularity of origin; i.e. each Grand Lodge shall have been
established lawfully by a duly recognized Grand Lodge or by three
or more regularly constituted Lodges.
2. That a belief in the G.A.O.T.U. and His revealed will shall be an
essential qualification for membership.
3. That all Initiates shall take their Obligation on or in full view of
the open Volume of the Sacred Law, by which is meant the
revelation from above which is binding on the conscience of the
particular individual who is being initiated.
4. That the membership of the Grand Lodge and individual Lodges
shall be composed exclusively of men; and that each Grand Lodge shall have no Masonic intercourse of any kind with mixed Lodges
or bodies which admit women to membership.
5. That the Grand Lodge shall have sovereign jurisdiction over the
Lodges under its control; i.e. that it shall be a responsible,
independent, self-governing organization, with sole and undisputed
authority over the Craft or Symbolic Degrees (Entered Apprentice,
Fellow Craft, and Master Mason) within its Jurisdiction; and shall
not in any way be subject to, or divide such authority with, a
Supreme Council or other Power claiming any control or
supervision over those degrees.
6. That the three Great Lights of Freemasonry (namely, the Volume
of the Sacred Law, the Square, and the Compasses) shall always be
exhibited when the Grand Lodge or its subordinate Lodges are at
work, the chief of these being the Volume of the Sacred Law.
7. That the discussion of religion and politics within the Lodge
shall be strictly prohibited.
8. That the principles of the Antient Landmarks, customs, and
usages of the Craft shall be strictly observed.

You have been mislead about Grand Lodges in England too. The United Grand Lodge of England has a documented history going back to 1717 when it first started, the RGLE and GL0AE both only consist of a few men with internet skills and have documented histories going back to 2005 when they were first started.

Oh Mike thank you SO much for explaining that so concisely.
The important thing to mention in that Lodges are only regular by majority comparison. If most of the Grand Lodges on this planet agree that a Lodge is “regular,” that seems to stick.